erinshehane

We have been debating between a tour with Sicily with Mario, Sicily Life, Roberto Mirabile, and Sicily Taxi. However, we were intrigued by the boat tour that Sicily Taxi can add to your tour as we know our teenagers would appreciate a break from the heat. Has anyone taken the boat tour and was it worth the time and money? Sicily Taxi appears to have good reviews on TA, but I can't find any reviews mentioning this boat tour.

Thank you cruisemom42. Our RomeinLimo driver for our trip to Pompeii and Sorrento warned us off from going into Naples. He said that did not even like to drive in Naples. So, we were shying away from Naples although we would love to try the pizza and go to the museum! I appreciate the comment that Capri is not unbearable. We were in Dubrovnik two summers ago and it was unbearably crowded. It is very wearing especially if it is hot. I think that we are looking for a subdued relaxing day. And we have wanted to go to Capri since seeing Talented Mr. Ripley. Now that I am researching it, it was actually filmed in Ischia and Procida! Thank you again!

I am looking at this thread as I am researching excursions for our port stop in Naples in July 2018. Procida looks (and sounds like) and wonderful low key alternative to Capri - is it still recommended? Thank you for your time!

We have been to Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano and we planning to go to Capri when we dock in Naples in July 2018. After reading Rick Steves review on Capri during the peak months, we are unsure. Any words of advice? Is it unbearably crowded in July? Should we look to spend the day elsewhere?

Just to be devil's advocate, I didn't think Ischia was that interesting. But I'm not a laid back island kind of person. There are lots of choices from Naples and Ischia would be low on my list to recommend to others.

@ Cruisemom42 - I love your posts and insights and I am not certain how to contact you, so I hope that you see this post. We are going to be in Naples next summer. We have three kids - 14/14/16 and we have been to Pompeii/Sorrento/Positano. Would you have any recommendations? We have always wanted to go to Capri but we are very worried that it will be a disappointed, crowded mess. Thank you for any advice ... I would love to go to Paestum but I am afraid that my family will be ruin'd out...

Thank you! I will check Viator. The Coop website is very confusing!

We tried to get the tour door when self touring and my husband tried to get by the guard twice without any luck. He was a very large, intimidating man. We had to walk all the way around (a very long walk) to get to the Basilica. It may be variable with the guard. The next time we went to the Vatican we had a guide that got us through the door and the guard checked her credentials. We paid for this private guide for two hours and it was well worth it (if not just the short cut through the Sistine chapel to the Basilica).

We got the Vatican guide through our driver (RomeInLimo) because we had our kids (8/8/10) and it was a long day and the Vatican guide was able to streamline the tour. It was worth every penny.

Yes, the tours seem to be at 8 AM. We are going to spend a couple of days in Rome, so we can be flexible with time and 8 AM sounds good to beat the heat. However, 8 is not feasible coming from port. I thought I saw some tours at 11 and 1, but I do not remember which company.

We would like to take a tour of the underground colosseum, arena, and 3rd tier (5th if possible). Acquiring tickets through Coop looks very challenging and possibly impossible. Has anyone purchased tours via Dark Rome, LivItaly, The Roman Guy, Walks of Italy, Italy-museums.com, or any other tour company?

We generally do not tip above and beyond the auto tip. However, my daughter has Crohn's and the waiter and head waiter were extremely fastidious with her dietary needs. So, we tipped the head waiter $50 (he did most of the work) and the waiter $40 for an 11 day cruise. We also filled out comment cards. Not a whole lot of money, just a token of our appreciation and hopefully they will get more kudos from their management. We cruise so that my daughter can have two safe meals a day and Regal Princess was the most accommodating (and conscientious) so far.

Thank you! I think that we will do as you suggest! It looks like the HopOn HopOff Bus takes you through the city and stops at the museum. I am hoping maybe we can find a taxi to Vergina.

Thank you ! Do you know if taxis are easy to get for the return back to the port?

We will be in Thessaloniki in late July with our three daughters (14/12/12) and we are looking for suggestions. We generally hire a private tour/driver to escape the crowds and move at our own pace. Does anyone have any recommendations? And what to see? We are torn between Dion and Vergina. Are there beaches that are reachable by taxi from the port (we are doing ruins at every other port, the kids may need a break!).

Many thanks for any recommendations.